World Seniors Snooker Championship Expanded for 2026
World Seniors Snooker (WSS) is pleased to announce that the 2026 World Seniors Snooker Championship will return to the Crucible Theatre in Sheffield with an expanded field.
The flagship event, which will take place on 6-10 May 2026, will be shown live on Channel 5 in the UK and feature an increased line-up of 24 players with a two-table set up in the early rounds.
The 2015 Crucible champion Stuart Bingham will make his World Seniors Snooker Championship debut next May, as will former UK and Masters champion Matthew Stevens, 12-time World Women’s Snooker champion Reanne Evans and ranking event winner Anthony Hamilton.
Jimmy White will be looking to win a record-extending fifth World Seniors Snooker Championship title while 1997 world champion Ken Doherty aims for Seniors glory at the Crucible for the first time.
Defending champion Alfie Burden, Tony Drago, Joe Perry and Dominic Dale will also return to the sport’s most iconic venue in 2026 with six further players to be confirmed in due course.
A global field once again sees each continental Seniors champion earning a place in the tournament. Brazil’s Igor Figueiredo, champion in 2024, will make his return after lifting the Pan-American Seniors Championship title earlier this year while there is also a second consecutive appearance for Craig Steadman after he retained the European title last month.
Mohamed Samy Elkhayat, from Egypt, earns his place as the African Seniors champion and will be joined by the Asia-Pacific winner while four further places will be earned by qualifiers from the World Seniors Tour events.
Jason Francis, Chairman of WSS, said: “I am so pleased to announce our strongest ever field as we enter our new deal with Sheffield City Council, which will see the World Seniors Snooker Championship remain at the Crucible Theatre for at least the next two years.”
“By expanding our event we can give more players the ultimate dream of playing competitive snooker at the sport’s most famous venue. We have six more players to invite and are working on some securing some legends to complete our field. The 2026 World Seniors Snooker Championships promises to be the biggest and best yet – another Sheffield snooker event for Sheffield people.”
This promises to be interesting indeed, and fairer with more spots for qualifiers coming through the Seniors events tour.
Draw Made for 2025 JenningsBet British Seniors Open
The draw has been made for the 2025 JenningsBet British Seniors Snooker Open which will take place at Vaillant Live in Derby on 26-28 December.
A star-studded line-up features former world champions Ken Doherty and Stuart Bingham, four-time World Seniors Championship winner Jimmy White and reigning Crucible champion Alfie Burden joined by Matthew Stevens, Dominic Dale, Joe Perry and Anthony Hamilton.
The Draw
Quarter-Finals (Friday 26 December)
Alfie Burden (1) vs. Dominic Dale
Ken Doherty (4) vs. Jimmy White
Matthew Stevens (3) vs. Anthony Hamilton
Stuart Bingham (2) vs. Joe Perry
Semi-Finals (Saturday 27 December)
Burden/Dale vs. Doherty/White
Stevens/Hamilton vs. Bingham/Perry
Final (Sunday 28 December)
Winner of SF1 vs. Winner of SF2
The top half of the draw features arguably the tie of the round as 1997 world champion Ken ‘The Darling of Dublin’ Doherty meets four-times World Seniors champion Jimmy ‘The Whirlwind’ White in a repeat of the 2020 World Seniors Championship final.
Reigning World Seniors champion Alfie Burden, the top seed, meets two-time ranking event winner Dominic Dale in the opening round while former UK and Masters champion Matthew Stevens takes on ‘The Sheriff of Pottingham’ Anthony Hamilton.
Stuart Bingham, the 2015 world champion and JenningsBet’s tournament favourite, makes his World Seniors Snooker Tour debut against ‘The Gentleman’ Joe Perry.
Format
The format for the event is as follows:
Quarter-Finals: Best of 7 Frames
Semi-Finals: Best of 9 Frames
Final: Best of 13 Frames
In an exciting and unique twist, should any match in the event go the distance then the deciding frame will be replaced by a respotted black.
Seniors of Derby Day Announced
World Seniors Snooker (WSS) is proud to once again be teaming up with Age UK for a ‘Seniors of Derby Day’ which will take place on Saturday 27 December.
People who are living alone and vulnerable will be invited to the snooker to meet some of the legends and watch the action live as well as receiving specialist advice on how the city can offer them support.
The initiative is being supported but local businesses who are sponsoring 50 tickets under an ‘Event Angels’ Scheme.
WSS Chairman Jason Francis said: “Research carried out in 2016 shows that over half-a-million people can go five or six days a week without seeing another person. It is clear that, since the COVID pandemic, that number will be a lot higher and so we are proud to be using our events to highlight this important issue.”
Most of the players in the draw still are or were recently on the main tour on merit. This should guarantee a very high standard of play.
I expect the winner to come from the bottom half of the draw, and Stuart Bingham is my pick for the title.
A “super-seniors” event featuring 19 players was also held at the same venue over the week-end. It was won by Andy Milliard who beat Andrew Norman by 2-0 in the final.
The 50-year-old improved on a run to the semi-finals of the opening event by coming through a field 57 players in Berkshire to take home the title.
A deciding frame victory in the opening round against Simon Dent was followed by wins against Shaun Rooney (4-1), John Rea (4-0) and Philip Williams (4-0) to reach the semi-finals.
Former World Seniors Snooker Championship winner Aaron Canavan, from Jersey, was able to score the highest break of their last four meeting with a visit of 110 but it was ultimately Lilly who won through as a 4-2 victor.
He met Daniel Ward in the title match after the 43-year-old had notably defeated Gerard Greene (4-1), Wayne Townsend (4-2) and Stuart Watson (4-1) to reach a maiden final on the World Seniors Snooker Tour.
Lilly made a strong start to the best-of-7 frame contest as he raced into a 3-0 lead with breaks of 66 and 85. Ward briefly reduced the deficit by taking the next, but it was Lilly’s day as he wrapped up the title by a 4-1 margin.
Hunter Wins Super Seniors
John Hunter defeated Ashley Beal to win the Super Seniors event on Sunday in Reading.
Hunter came thorough a field of 21 players aged over 55 to add another Super Seniors crown to his growing trophy cabinet.
Wins against Giulio Rea (2-1), Simon Dent (2-0) and Neil Carroll (2-1) saw Hunter set up a title match contest against Beal, who himself had whitewashed Dennis Tristram at the semi-final stage.
It was a comfortably victory for Hunter in the end as a break of 75 completed a 2-0 victory and secured the title for the 59-year-old cueist.
World Seniors Snooker (WSS) is delighted to announced that the 2025 British Seniors Open which will take place at Vaillant Live in Derby on 26-28 December 2025.
This new TV event will be shown live on 5 and sees snooker return to Derby for the first time since 1993 with eight players competing for the title.
Among those in action will be Jimmy ‘The Whirlwind’ White, 1997 world champion Ken Doherty, reigning World Seniors Snooker champion Alfie Burden and WSS debutant Matthew Stevens.
Former professionals Joe Perry and Dominic Dale also return to action while two more stellar names will be announced soon.
The event begins on Boxing Day with sessions taking place at 13:00 and 19:00. The semi-finals will be held on the afternoon of Saturday 27 December, while the final takes place on Sunday afternoon.
During the weekend, fans will get the chance to attend a Legends Lunch before play where they will get to meet former world champions Dennis Taylor and John Parrott.
WSS Chairman Jason Francis said: “I fell in love with the sport by watching events like the British Open from Derby in the 1980’s and so it is great to be able to bring top class snooker back to the city for the first time in 32 years. We hope all the people who enjoyed attending those events will support its return this Christmas and bring some new fans with them.”
Four-time World Seniors Snooker champion Jimmy White said “I was lucky enough to win the British Open in Derby in 1987 and 1992 so to get a chance to go back and add the British Seniors Open title is a great opportunity. I know how much people in Derby love snooker and so I hope they will come and pack the place out.”
Vaillant Live General Manager, Marcus Sheehan, said “This is a fantastic opportunity to bring snooker back to Derby! There’s a huge sporting appetite in the city and years of great tournaments at the Assembly Rooms. We can’t wait to bring this brilliant tournament to Vaillant Live!”
Derby South MP Baggy Shanker said: “Derby is a natural stage for major sporting events with passionate fans, a rich sporting legacy, and now a new world-class city centre venue to match. From hosting the British Open to welcoming the World Seniors Snooker Tour this Christmas, Derby is once again proving itself as a great destination for top-level sport.”
“Snooker has long been part of our story and, as a fan myself, I’m proud to see it return. It’s a chance for loyal supporters and new audiences to enjoy the game on their doorstep – and to show the rest of the country the very best of Derby.”
Please note that the Legends Lunch Packages are only available on Saturday 27 and Sunday 28 December and include food before play, a meet and greet with Dennis Taylor and John Parrott, a complimentary goody bag and a prime seat for the snooker.
World Seniors Snooker (WSS) is delighted to announce that both the 2025 British Seniors Open and 2026 World Seniors Snooker Championship will be broadcast live on 5.
The British Seniors Open will return snooker to Derby for the first time in 32 years and feature star names like Jimmy White, Ken Doherty and Matthew Stevens.
Coverage will begin at 13:00 on Boxing day with the first of two quarter finals, a further session with two more quarter finals will be played from 19:00.
Both Semi Finals will take place from 13:00 on Saturday 27 December with the final starting at the same time on the Sunday.
This new deal also confirms the continuation of the World Seniors Snooker Championship from the Crucible Theatre in Sheffield on 5 in May 2026.
World Seniors Snooker Chairman Jason Francis said “Our partnership with 5 has brought top class snooker to millions of fans in the UK and Ireland since 2023. Being able to stage a new event with them this Christmas is really exciting and it’s great for fans to know the World Seniors Snooker Championship will be back on the channel in May”
Raphael Pendergast, Acting Head of Sport at 5 said “We’re pleased to extend our relationship with World Seniors Snooker, and bring the strongest ever line-ups of Snooker legends into viewers’ homes at Christmas”.
Liber Win Announced as Official Global Cloth Partner of the World Seniors Snooker Tour
Chinese national brand Liber Win have been announced as the global cloth partner of the World Seniors Snooker (WSS) Tour in a new three-year deal which will see their cloth showcased at all WSS Tour events, including the 2026 World Championship at the Crucible Theatre in Sheffield.
Since 2000, the company has focused on research and development, using high quality Australian wool combined with the unique and environmental wool spinning, dying and finishing technology to produce a snooker and billiard cloth that produces an even and smooth surface, resulting in a stable ball speed and a durable suede feel.
WSS Chairman Jason Francis said: “Having personally visited the Liber Win factory in China, I was amazed at not only the scale of their operation but the attention to detail and desire to produce the best cloth for all cue sports players. I have attended many events in China where the Liber Win cloth has been used, all with great acclaim. Being a partner of the WSS Tour will mean their hard work and dedication will get rewarded with a television audience of millions to further promote their product, including at the 2026 World Seniors Championship which will be held at the Crucible Theatre in Sheffield”
Sunxiaoping, President of Jiangsu Liber Win Textile Group, said: “We are very proud to be the partner and the official cloth for the WSS Tour. This Tour plays tribute to legendary players and spreads the passion and history of our sport to more snooker fans. We want provide all seniors players with a precise and smooth playing experience during the game and continue to work with them to develop and promote use of the Liber Win cloth globally.”
All nine WSS Tour qualifying will also be played on Liber Win cloth with the first event due to begin on the 15 August 2025. Entries are open via WPBSA SnookerScores.
World Seniors Snooker Launches New Season with Increased Prize Money World Seniors Snooker (WSS) have today announced the dates for the 2025/26 season which will see nine tour events, with a minimum of four places available for players in their 2026 World Seniors Snooker Championship via the ranking list qualification system
Changes for the new campaign mean anyone over 40, including World Snooker Tour (WST) professionals, are now eligible to participate in the tour events which will see the winner’s prize doubled each weekend to £1,000 and prize money being paid down to the last 16.
Jason Francis, Chairman of WSS, said “This season there are a lot more players eligible to play, including a number of WST professionals, and we have pledged £27,000 in prize money across our nine events which is more than double the amount that was on offer last season. If you are over 40, now is the time to dust off your cue and come and enjoy some friendly but serious competition”
The season will begin on Friday 15 August 2025 with all events played at the Crucible Sports and Social Club in Reading.
TOUR DATES
2025
August 15-17
September 26-28
October 10-12
November 21-23
December 12-14
2026
January 16-18
February 6-8
March 6-8
April 3-5
On the Sunday of each weekend, a Super Seniors event will be staged for those aged over 55.
All events are now open for entry via WPBSA SnookerScores. A WSS Tour membership will be required in order to compete in the Race to the Crucible series.
The fact that players, including active professionals, are now eligible to compete on the Seniors Tour from the age of 40, instead of 45 in previous season, is a side effect of the failure of the negotiations between WST and Jason Francis, and one, I’m sure, that displeases WST much more than Jason…
How many active pros will be interested, and which ones, remains to be seen as they will have to set their priorities and find “spaces” in a rather full professional calendar. Another interesting question is wether the senior amateurs will feel excited at the prospect to play professionals and will embrace the challenge or if, on the contrary, this may be a deterrent if they feel that they have no chance to beat the pros.
All events will be played in Reading and that venue is very good but I remember the time, pre Brexit and pre covid, when some seniors qualifying events were played in mainland Europe. I wish it was still the case, but I guess, it would not be economically viable in the current state of affairs. It’s a shame though.
Jersey champion Aaron Canavan defeated Guernsey champion Paul Le Sauvage 5-0 to win the 2025 Channel Islands Snooker Championship.
Canavan has now claimed the Channel Islands crown for each of the last four consecutive years. It is the 12th time overall that the 49-year-old has won the title and he maintains his 100% record of having never lost the unique champion v champion challenge match.
Pitching together the recent winners of the respective Jersey and Guernsey championships, the two biggest islands in the region take it in turns each year to host the encounter – this year it was held at the North Social Club in Saint Sampson, Guernsey.
Former world seniors champion Canavan took control of the tie early on, compiling a break of 71 on his way to securing the opening frame before doubling his lead. An effort of 50 helped him to a 3-0 advantage before he reached the hill with frame four. Canavan finished the contest in style, fashioning a run of 101 in the fifth frame to complete a whitewash.
This dozen of Channel Island triumphs came just days after he won an incredible 14th Jersey championship title.
For six consecutive years now, Canavan has conquered on the island. What’s more, it is the third year in succession that he has not dropped a single frame en route to glory. The last time he relinquished a frame was during a last 16 match against Brett Campbell in the 2022 edition. Canavan’s last defeat in the competition was the 2019 final when he was ousted 4-3 by Gary Britton.
In this year’s title match staging, Canavan registered breaks of 60, 67 and 73 in a 4-0 victory over former winner Karl le Fevre. It was the third year in-a-row that the two had met in the final.
A few weeks after his latest domestic glories, Canavan went all the way to the final of the 2025 World Seniors Snooker Championship at the Crucible Theatre where he was stopped by Alfie Burden. In his semi-final match, Canavan produced a memorable comeback as he pipped Dominic Dale, 6-5, having been 5-2 down.
Le Sauvage completes hat-trick of Guernsey crowns after 24-year wait
Although the Channel Islands title would prove to be a step too far, Paul Le Sauvage can look back on a fantastic domestic campaign in Guernsey that saw him win his third island crown.
Winner of the Guernsey Snooker Championship in 1994 and 2001, Le Sauvage ended a 24-year wait for his hat-trick, rewriting the record books in the process with the longest gap between titles in the 94-year history of the competition.
In the early rounds of this year’s event, Le Sauvage eliminated Ali Gilliland 3-1, Kate Le Gallez 3-0, and John Skillet 4-3, before recovering from 3-1 behind to dethrone defending champion Adam Shorto 4-3 in the semi-finals. Shorto had lifted the trophy in each of the last two years.
In the final at the North Social Club, Le Sauvage scored a 5-0 win over Roscoe Cloarec to regain the island’s top snooker prize.
As promised … it just took a bit longer because I had a “nightmare” trip back to my island… 1
Congratulations again Alfie!
and big thank you to World Seniors Snooker for having me!
A combination a of bad weather, delayed transports, canceled flight, temporarily lost luggage (… damaged too) … and arriving “home” only today as a result. ↩︎
Today’s final at the Crucible will be competed between two players who have been here before: Aaron Canavan, who won the title in 2018, and Alfie Burden who was runner-up in 2023.
Alfie Burden and Aaron Canavan will meet in the final of the 2025 JenningsBet World Seniors Snooker Championship on Sunday afternoon.
The two former finalists reached the title match by overcoming Hassan Kerde and Dominic Dale respectively on a memorable semi-final Saturday at the iconic Crucible Theatre.
Canavan heads into the title match aiming to become only the second multiple champion of the most prestigious event in seniors snooker, after four-time winner Jimmy White, while Burden hopes to go one step further than he did in 2023 when he ended as runner-up to ‘The Whirlwind’.
Former professional Burden and Asia-Pacific Seniors champion Kerde, from Australia, kicked off a bumper session with a best-of-11 frame contest.
Burden was in fine form and he wasted no time in racing into a 4-0 lead with breaks of 57 and 65. The Australian briefly rallied, taking back-to-back frames to half the deficit, but a rapid-fire contribution of 97 put Burden back in the acendency and he secured his place in the final by taking the next frame.
Post-match, Burden said: “It was a tough game but I was pleased with the way I played and it stands me in good stead for the final. I’ve prepared well, practiced hard and I feel confident. I feel really strong – I’m going out and expecting to win tomorrow.”
The second semi-final of the afternoon saw Canavan face Dale and, after sharing the first four frames of the contest, ‘The Spaceman’ appeared to step up a gear and fired in back-to-back century breaks of 109 and 131 before moving one frame from victory by taking the seventh.
The man from Jersey refused to go away, however, and managed to take the next three frames with a top visit of 65 to force an unlikely deciding frame.
The decider was a nervy affair with both players spurning golden opportunities for the win. Ultimately, it was Canavan who took it on the colours to complete a famous comeback and set up a final meeting with Burden.
Canavan said: “It was tough. After last night, I was really tired but I gave myself a good talking to in the dressing room and came out fighting. It’s dream, you never think that you will get there and then all of a sudden something happens and you’re actually living the dream.”
Here are the scores:
There was a huge crowd in attendance, proof if it was needed, that Seniors Snooker IS marketable
These are the results of the quarter-finals yesterday at the Crucible:
Dominic entered the arena wearing a long fur coat and a hat… apparently a tribute to Alex Higgins. I know that Jason Francis started the Seniors tour because of Alex, who he wanted to help but I also know he quickly had to give up on the man who couldn’t really play anymore. But Alex game wasn’t the main issue, it’s his behaviour that caused a lot of problems … as had been the case all his life. Alex certainly changed snooker forever but, in my eyes, he was a terrible person and reading his bios didn’t change my opinion, quite the opposite. Anyway … back to yesterday action … as you can see by the scores, Dominic played very well and, despite winning frame 2, Joe was never really in the match.
Neither Alfie nor Tony scored really heavily in their match. There was no break over 53 in the match, and 53 isn’t usually enough in itself to secure a frame. But … what a battle this was. They played all seven frames and every frame was close and hard-fought. Tony was gutted and, I guess, Alfie was more relieved than really happy.
Hassan Kerde and Charl Jonk probably served us the best match on the day. Both played well, especially considering that neither had played at the Crucible before this event. A very happy Hassan was interviewed after the match, accompanied by his wife. They are Muslims and she was fully covered, wearing a long dress, and a scarf that completely covered her hair … but she was with him on the floor, all smiles, filming his interview with a very state of the art smartphone … 😊
The last match of the day was a late, rather scrappy affair. Wayne made the only big break of the match, a 85 but lost by 4-2. Both can play better but it was late and they had to wait a long time before the table became available for them. Aaron has won this title before and, maybe, that helped him. Unlike Wayne, he isn’t in uncharted territory here at the Crucible.
The WPBSA World Seniors Tour 